Palmer
Boy name · #993 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Palmer? In official American birth records, Palmer has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Palmer is currently the #993 boy name in the United States — 230 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1297, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 7,826 boys born in 2025 was named Palmer.
The 145-year story
Palmer first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 10 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 240 babies and a rank of #940. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Palmer per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Palmer against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Palmer in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Palmer is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Palmer will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Palmer is most common
Geography matters for names, and Palmer is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Palmer is most common in TN (0.3 per 1,000), OH (0.3 per 1,000), NC (0.2 per 1,000), IL (0.2 per 1,000), GA (0.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Palmer is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Palmer
Statistically, parents drawn to Palmer tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Foster, Casper, Kooper, Ameer, and Abner.
FosterCasperKooperAmeerAbnerSlaterAdlerFisher
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Palmer | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 230 | #991 |
| 2024 | 202 | #1076 |
| 2023 | 240 | #940 |
| 2022 | 200 | #1090 |
| 2021 | 222 | #987 |
| 2020 | 163 | #1177 |
| 2019 | 165 | #1171 |
| 2018 | 172 | #1122 |
| 2017 | 179 | #1090 |
| 2016 | 133 | #1339 |
| 2015 | 137 | #1297 |
| 2014 | 112 | #1456 |
| 2013 | 114 | #1444 |
| 2012 | 114 | #1448 |
| 2011 | 94 | #1620 |
| 2010 | 83 | #1778 |
| 2009 | 94 | #1665 |
| 2008 | 84 | #1775 |
| 2007 | 109 | #1464 |
| 2006 | 98 | #1526 |
| 2005 | 80 | #1674 |
| 2004 | 86 | #1542 |
| 2003 | 72 | #1702 |
| 2002 | 54 | #2019 |
| 2001 | 58 | #1893 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Palmer?
In official American birth records, the name Palmer first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 10 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Palmer a popular boy name?
Palmer ranked #993 among boys in 2025 with 230 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1297.
When was the name Palmer most popular?
Palmer peaked in 2023, when 240 American boys received the name (ranked #940 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Palmer?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 7,826 newborn American boys was named Palmer. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.